Jim Daly

If Your Child Was Killed by ISIS, Could You Pray For the Murderer?

In recent days, our hearts have been torn and our emotions exhausted as we’ve attempted to process the horrific martyrdom of 21 Christian young men (20 Egyptian and one Ghanian) at the hands of their radical-Islamic captors.

And then, just yesterday, we learned that ISIS had kidnapped dozens of Assyrian Christians, including many women and children, in northeast Syria.

Last week, I shared behind-the-scenes insights from the director of Focus on the Family’s Middle East outreach, Sami Yacoub, that lent meaningful background to the news reports we were hearing.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: church, news, religious liberty

Washington Florist Stays True to Faith Convictions, Risks Financial Ruin

A news roundup on the issues that matter most.

“How Many Kids Grow Up With Their Married Mom and Dad?”: Less than half, according to a new report by the Family Research Council. It finds 54 percent of 15- to 17-year-olds do not live in a home with their married mother and father.

The story of Pastor Lee-Jon-rak and his baby box – the topic of Focus’ upcoming film, “The Drop Box” – has earned a lot of media attention since the original article in the L.A.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: faith, family, news, pro-life, religious liberty

Is Technology Hurting Our Witness at Home?

I’ve previously shared how parents can pass along a lasting faith to their kids. In a nutshell, there are two things parents should do:

Live out an authentic, vibrant faith themselves
Help their children develop spiritual habits, like regular prayer and Scripture reading

But as times change and technology brings us increased convenience, I’ve wondered if an unintended consequence is that, in some areas, our digital life could potentially undermine our efforts to model the faith?

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: faith, parenting, technology

May the 21 Martyrs Cause Us to Remember, Unite and Pray

Thousands of churches will be remembering the 21 Christian Egyptian martyrs who were recently killed by Islamic terrorists this Sunday, Feb. 22 through a moment of silence followed by a time of prayer.

This time of remembrance is part of a movement sponsored by various Christian groups, including Focus on the Family, through the 21martyrs.com. Church leaders can find a short but powerful video at the website that reflects on the persecution Christians around the world are facing – and the Bible’s promises to the persecuted.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: church, news, promos, religious liberty

This New App Will Help Engaged Couples

Do you know someone planning to get married?

Our new “Engaged! Marriage Preparation for Couples” app is designed to help men and women get ready for their new lives together as husband and wife.

Divided into 15 topics, the app provides introductory as well as in-depth Christian teaching and articles, and includes more than 16 hours of audio and video content designed for couples to review and discuss together.

Research shows that couples who devote time to premarital counselling are both happier in the short-term and more likely to avoid divorce, long-term.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: faith, marriage, promos, relationships

Learn the Fundamentals of Parenting

Vince Lombardi was the legendary football coach of the Green Bay Packers. Throughout the 1960s, his teams dominated the National Football League. But their astounding success was not the result of new and innovative ways to play the game. It was quite the opposite.

In fact, one notorious example demonstrates how adamant Coach Lombardi was that his players master the fundamentals. At the beginning of training camp the year after one of the team’s most successful seasons, Lombardi gathered his men for a pep talk.

Continue ReadingTopics: Family and Home Tags: broadcast, family, news, parenting

What the Media Isn’t Reporting on ISIS’ Beheading of 21 Christian Men

The tragic images are almost impossible to see and process.

There on the shore of Libya stand 21 young Christian Egyptian men, each clad in an orange jumpsuit. Behind each man is a hooded radical Islamist, holding a knife.

We know what’s coming next.

If American Christians were ever tempted to believe martyrs are only people we read about in the Bible and history books, the 21 men who were brutally beheaded because they called Jesus Christ their Savior remind us nothing could be further from the truth.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: church, faith, news, religious liberty

God Meets Imperfect Families in Their Messiness

Maybe you know this feeling a little too well.

You see other families from the outside, and they look exactly like what you envision a good Christian home to be. Their children don’t squabble, and they obey their parents with almost gleeful enthusiasm. Life seems perfect.

But your reality seems a lot different. You break up two or three spats between the kids before you even leave for church. And once you get there, you paint a smile on your face and answer everybody’s, “How’re you doing?” with a robotic, “I’m great.”

But deep inside you know things aren’t great.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: broadcast, faith, family

Fans of “The Drop Box” Buying Out Theaters

The movie doesn’t debut for another two weeks, but already “The Drop Box” is selling out theaters in cities like Los Angeles, Atlanta, San Diego, Miami, Denver, San Antonio, Phoenix, St. Louis and right here in Colorado Springs.

We’re really encouraged by this positive response to the film that we’ve produced in partnership with Kindred Image. Church and community leaders are purchasing group tickets or even buying out theaters so they can help spread the important message this movie brings.

Continue ReadingTopics: Focus Events Tags: adoption, entertainment, news, pro-life, promos

This Valentine’s Day, Go Beyond “I Love You”

It’s a little sad how even the most heartfelt phrases can sometimes become habit.

“I love you.”

These are three meaningful words that every husband and wife should say to each other, often.

And yet, sometimes even this beautiful expression can lose some of its luster.

That’s why I appreciated the heart behind this video: a husband and wife, together for 56 years, were asked to describe what they felt for each other … but with one catch.

Continue ReadingTopics: Current Events Tags: marriage, relationships